Histamine increases the permeability of capillaries and venules but little is known of its precapillary actions on the control of tissue perfusion. Using gene ablation and pharmacological interventions, we tested whether histamine could increase muscle blood flow through stimulating nitric oxide (NO) release from microvascular endothelium. Vasomotor responses to topical histamine were investiga...

BACKGROUND Studies of low-dose effects of xenoestrogens have yielded conflicting results that may be attributed to differences in estrogen sensitivity between the rodent strains examined. Perinatal exposure of CD-1 mice to low doses of the xenoestrogen bisphenol A (BPA) alters peripubertal mammary gland development. Future studies to assess the role of estrogen receptors as mediators of BPA act...

Group-housed laboratory mice are frequently found with their whiskers and facial hair removed. It has been proposed that dominant mice are responsible for barbering the hair of the recipient (the Dalila effect), and early studies suggest that the hair is removed by nibbling. In the present study, pairs of C57BL6 mice, composed of a barber and recipient, were separated to allow hair to regrow. T...

A computer model was used to analyze data on cardiac and vascular mechanics from C57BL6/J mice exposed to 0 (n = 4), 14 (n = 6), 21 (n = 8) and 28 (n = 7) days of chronic hypoxia and treatment with the VEGF receptor inhibitor SUGEN (HySu) to induce pulmonary hypertension. Data on right ventricular pressure and volume, and systemic arterial pressure obtained before, during, and after inferior ve...

Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is an autoimmune blistering disease that most frequently affects the oral cavity and conjunctivae. Additional skin lesions may appear in about a quarter of patients. The current therapeutic armamentarium mainly based on long-term immunosuppression, which associated with high number adverse events not effective. Here, we investigated effects topical conjunctival ...

The regulation of blood pressure during pregnancy involves several biological pathways. Candidate genes implicated in hypertensive diseases during pregnancy include those of the renin-angiotensin system and nitric oxide synthase (NOS). We evaluated blood pressure and metabolic characteristics during pregnancy in mutant mice. These included mice with a null mutation in the endothelial NOS (eNOS)...

From histopathological specimens, endolymphatic hydrops has been demonstrated in association with inner ear disorders. Recent studies have observed findings suggestive of hydrops using MRI in humans. Previous studies suggest that vasopressin may play a critical role in endolymph homeostasis and may be involved in the development of Ménière's disease. In this study we evaluate the effect of vaso...